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FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2017, file photo, first lady Melania Trump addresses a luncheon at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York. Trump "hates" to see families separated at the border and hopes "both sides of the aisle" can reform the nation's immigration laws, according to a statement Sunday, June 17, 2018, about the controversy over separation of immigrant parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle, File)

Melania Trump 'hates' to see families separated at border

June 17, 2018 - 10:42 pm

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Melania Trump "hates" to see families separated at the border and hopes "both sides of the aisle" can reform the nation's immigration laws, according to a statement Sunday about the controversy over separation of immigrant parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mrs. Trump was making an unusual entry into a fierce political debate. She didn't refer specifically to the Trump administration's "no tolerance" policy, which was leading to a spike in children being separated from their families. Government statistics indicate that nearly 2,000 children were separated from their families over a six-week period in April and May.

A spokeswoman for the wife of President Donald Trump issued the statement after several days of images of crying children appearing on television and online.

"Mrs. Trump hates to see children separated from their families and hopes both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform," said Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Trump. "She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws, but also a country that governs with heart."

While the statement suggested the matter was an issue for Congress, Democratic lawmakers and others have pointed out that no law mandates the separation of children and parents at the border. A new Trump administration policy, which went into effect in May, sought to maximize criminal prosecutions of people caught trying to enter the U.S. illegally. More adults were being jailed as a result, which led to their children being separated from them.

Trump said Friday, "I hate the children being taken away," but he also falsely blamed Democrats for a law requiring it.

In an effort to rebut criticism of the administration, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Sunday repeated in a tweet the department's view: "We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period." In a separate tweet, she accused the news media and others of misreporting the issue and called on those seeking asylum to do so at ports of entry rather than crossing illegally.

"This misreporting by Members, press & advocacy groups must stop. It is irresponsible and unproductive. As I have said many times before, if you are seeking asylum for your family, there is no reason to break the law and illegally cross between ports of entry," Nielsen wrote.